US stars align in anti-Iraq war hunger strike Jul 03 6:34 PM US/Eastern Email this story

Star Hollywood actor-activists including Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon and anti-war campaigners led by bereaved mother Cindy Sheehan plan to launch a hunger strike, demanding the immediate return of US troops from Iraq.

As Americans get set to fire up barbeques in patriotic celebration of US Independence Day on July 4, anti-war protestors planned to savour a last meal outside the White House, before embarking on a 'Troops Home Fast' at midnight.

"We've marched, held vigils, lobbied Congress, camped out at Bush's ranch, we've even gone to jail, now it's time to do more," said Sheehan, who emerged as an anti-war icon after losing her 24-year-old son Casey in Iraq.

The hunger strike was the latest bid by the US anti-war movement to grab hold of American public opinion, after numerous marches, vigils and political campaigns.

Despite polls which show the Iraq war is unpopular and many Americans are skeptical of President George W. Bush's wartime leadership, peace protests have not hit the opinion-swaying critical mass seen during Vietnam War.

"We have been continually sheltered from the actual cost of war from the beginning," said Meredith Dearborn, of human rights group Global Exchange, explaining how anti-Iraq war protests have stuttered.

While 2,526 US soldiers have died since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, according to an AFP tally based on Pentagon figures, the impact of the deaths has rarely dominated headlines.

While it is not unusual to see an Iraq-war veteran or amputee in an airport for instance, or newspaper features on horrific injuries inflicted by roadside bombs in Iraq, the United States hardly feels like a nation at war.

Some protestors and experts in public opinion put that down to the absence of the Vietnam War style conscription draft, which means only professional soldiers or reservists can be sent off to war.

"We have done everything we could think of to end this war, we have protested, held marches, vigils ... lobbied, written letters to Congress," said Dearborn.

"Now it is time to bring the pain and suffering of war home. We are putting our bodies on the line for peace."

Perhaps the only time the anti-Iraq war movement captured lasting coverage was in August 2005, when Sheehan and supporters pitched camp outside Bush's Texas ranch, where the president habitually stays in high summer.

Even then, the fiercely partisan debate unleashed may have harmed Sheehan, who faced fierce fire from conservative groups and radio talk show hosts, as much as it hurt the Bush administration's image over Iraq.

"I don't know how long I can fast, but I am making this open-ended," said Wilson.

Other supporters, including Penn, Sarandon, novelist Alice Walker and actor Danny Glover will join a 'rolling" fast, a relay in which 2,700 activists pledge to refuse food for at least 24 hours, and then hand over to a comrade.

Though the anti-war movement is trying hard to puncture public perceptions, some experts believe such protests have little impact on how Americans view foreign wars.

Ohio State University professor John Mueller for example, argued in the Foreign Affairs journal in December, that only rising US casualties could be proven to erode public support for a conflict.

Anti-war movements during the Korean and Iraq wars have been comparitively invisible, but public support had eroded in a similar way to the Vietnam conflict, in which the peace movement played a dominant role, he wrote.

Recent polls reveal public scepticism over Iraq, and damage to Bush's personal ratings.

In a poll in Time magazine published Friday, only 33 percent of respondents approved of Bush's leadership on Iraq while 64 percent said they disapproved his handling of the campaign.

A Pew Research Center poll released on June 20, found that only 35 percent of Americans approved of Bush's handling of the Iraqi conflict -- though that was up five percent from a similar poll in February.

I plan to eat twice as much as usual to make up for any impact to our nation's food producing region - which will obviously be dealt a serious blow by this hunger strike. Oh - wait a sec, Michael Moore isn't fasting? Never mind.....

These people are all trying to cultivate a Gandhi complex. Do they recall that the Mahatma's efforts were followed by the most horrendous bloodletting in modern Indian history? Pacifists always assume that the world will follow their dreams if them only make these little sacrifices. Often exactly the opposite is true . It is far better to fight and fight hard until victory . Forget the meaningless platitudes they are fond of spouting. They are all like chickens ,waiting with their necks on the chopping block.

33
posted on 07/03/2006 9:36:35 PM PDT
by LeoWindhorse
(strive on with heedfulness)

"Now it is time to bring the pain and suffering of war home. We are putting our bodies on the line for peace."

Wow, I'm just so overawed by their fanatical commitment (gag) - most of them are just doing the Hollyweird "24 hour rolling fast" - heck that's what most of them do for their movie roles anytime they're trying to shed a few ounces. BIG sacrifice! Do these clowns not realize how ridiculous this makes them? (obviously not) If they really wanted to make the point they would vow to do the Gandhi-style fast-to-the-death........ then at least we could be impressed by their 'commitment' even though they'd still be idiots.

What I find amazing is that these pampered, left wing, hollywood windbags would think that anyone in this country would lose a momeent's sleep if they starved themselves to death.

Talk about ego. I shouldn't be surprised but the depth of self centeredness these fools suffer from is breathtaking. "Look at me!!!I'm going to be a martyr for a day!" If I never see Sarandon, Penn, or Glover on TV or in the news, it will be too soon...unless their emaciated corpses are found. That would be news.

36
posted on 07/03/2006 9:45:21 PM PDT
by Once-Ler
(The rat 06 election platform will be a promise to impeach the President if they win)

Star Hollywood actor-activists including Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon and anti-war campaigners led by bereaved mother Cindy Sheehan plan to launch a hunger strike, demanding the immediate return of US troops from Iraq.

"the impact of the deaths has rarely dominated headlines"_____ The impact of the deaths of our troops is that they are mourned by their families and the nation. They are honored as the heroes that they are. They are never forgotten. They join the ranks of the best of us who enable the rest of us to live as we do._____To the media and their headlines, they are just a number to be used against us.

What these actors don't understand is that Islamic radicals find the Hollywood culture repugnant and blasphemous and would cut off the head of every overrated, overpaid American "star" if they got the chance. I dread another terrorist attack on the U.S. but if it has to come I wish they'd hit the Academy Awards presentations.

44
posted on 07/03/2006 9:54:57 PM PDT
by Brad from Tennessee
(Anything a politician gives you he has first stolen from you)

During the build-up to the Iraq war, the lefties at my college had a "fast tent". A couple of them would sit in the tent with uninspired slogans and make a show of them not taking in sustenance. So, some like-minded friends and I would order pizzas and have them delivered to the tent while we observed from the shadows. Hilarity ensued. But then we were easily amused.

48
posted on 07/03/2006 10:05:52 PM PDT
by Cyclopean Squid
(Being That Guy so you don't have to.)

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